Matthew 5:13
You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt loses its flavor how shall it be seasoned. It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
As we approach this text we need to keep in mind that Jesus has just finished describing the characteristics of a believer in the beatitudes. Christ is sitting talking very specifically to the 12 disciples during this sermon on the mount, though there is a whole crowd surrounding them. As Christ says these words they are to be applied to all believers.
You are the salt of the earth. The Greek implies you and you alone are the salt of the earth. There is no other salt for the earth, but the followers of Christ. Many preachers and commentators note that this section of scripture shows a move from the characteristics of a believer to the function of the believer. We are to function as salt.
What do we know about salt? Salt in this time period was very valuable. The Roman soldier was paid his daily wages in Salt, hence the expression “worth you salt.” Salt is used as a flavor enhancer. Salt is necessary for the body to function properly. Salt was used to clean out wounds, and Salt was used to preserve foods by slowing their decay process. I find it interesting that salt preserves food and enhances the flavor much in the same way, it draws out the moisture from the food. It leaves the food with a purer taste. I remember the first time I prepared eggplant for myself. When you prepare eggplant you generally slice it, salt it, and allow it to sit and drain for a while having done nothing more than slicing and draining it. Well I am a curious person so I sliced it, salted most of it and tried a piece of unsalted eggplant. It is so bitter I had to spit it out. After allowing the rest of the eggplant to sit having been salted you could see all the bitterness and moisture that was drawn out of the eggplant. It is in this way we are the salt of the earth. We are to draw out the bitterness of the world, to hold back its decay.
How do we do that, by living the beatitudes, by being filled with the spirit, by being salty. Salt is inherently different from the things it is applied to, meat, vegetables, you name it the salt is different, and we should be different from the world. There is an implication in being called the only salt of the earth, and that is the earth is devoid of flavor, and decaying. We are to be different. When we converse with people, our conversation should be different from the worlds. When we joke with people our jokes should be different. Our thoughts should be different. Our desires should be different. The difference in us should cause the world around us to be different. It was said of Jonathan Edwards that all he had to do was walk into a room and people would come under the conviction of the Holy Spirit. When you enter a room does people’s language get cleaner. A friend of mine was known for having a “sailors” mouth, but whenever he was around Sara or I his language all of a sudden became a whole lot cleaner, not because we ever said anything to him, but because he knew there was something different about us and that his speech was not acceptable. You alone are the salt of the earth.
Christ does not linger too long on the function of being the salt of the earth though. He concentrates in this section a bit more on warning us not to lose our flavor. But if the salt loses its flavor how shall it be seasoned? The implication is that it cannot be seasoned. I must point out that the salt does not cease to be salt. Christ is not talking about losing your salvation, but He is talking about losing your flavor or your characteristics, that effectiveness to preform your function.
I think we should quickly look back at the beatitudes so we can see what the flavor of salt is. Blessed are the poor in Spirit, that quality that says I am completely dependent upon the grace of God and lean fully upon His Spirit. Blessed are those who mourn, this is to say those who are grieved by sin both their own and that of the world. Blessed are the meek, this is the individual who takes no thought of themselves but focuses on the things Kingdom of God. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for Righteousness. Blessed are the merciful. Blessed are the pure in heart. Blessed are the peacemakers. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness. This is what it is to be salty, to live the beatitudes. Paul describes these characteristics slightly differently in Galatians 5:22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. . .” And Christ warns us not to lose our flavor?
So how do we lose it? We lose it when we allow our relationship with God to slip. We cannot live the beatitudes or the fruit of the Spirit without Him. When we neglect our relationship with Him we are less salty. It is sad to see so many Christians when they first get saved are on fire for God. As they “grow” in their relationship that raging fire seems to fade to a small simmer. We can keep that fire burning bright. We don’t have to lose our flavor. One of the things Sara and I were tasked to do in our premarital sessions was to find a new way every day to say I love you, we did that for almost a year. Now that we are married it seems more important to find different ways of telling Sara I love her. Our relationship with God is not that much different. If we will let Him he is constantly telling us that He loves us, and how much He loves us. We can do the same for Him.
But if the salt should lose its flavor how then shall it be seasoned. It is then good for nothing but to be trampled underfoot. When we lose our saltiness we become ineffectual witnesses. We no longer affect the world. We no longer flavor it. We no longer hold back its decay. No we are thrown on to the grown. You know what happens when you salt the earth? It becomes barren, nothing can grow there anymore. When we lose our flavor, we can become spiritually dangerous to those around us. I do not know how many times I have heard things like “I have no problem with Jesus, it’s the people that follow Him I can’t stand.” “I would probably believe in Christ, if it weren’t for the Christians.” When we lose our flavor we are not only ineffective, but we become a stumbling block, and create a barren land.
You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt loses its flavor how shall it be seasoned. It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. So don't lose your flavor.
As we approach this text we need to keep in mind that Jesus has just finished describing the characteristics of a believer in the beatitudes. Christ is sitting talking very specifically to the 12 disciples during this sermon on the mount, though there is a whole crowd surrounding them. As Christ says these words they are to be applied to all believers.
You are the salt of the earth. The Greek implies you and you alone are the salt of the earth. There is no other salt for the earth, but the followers of Christ. Many preachers and commentators note that this section of scripture shows a move from the characteristics of a believer to the function of the believer. We are to function as salt.
What do we know about salt? Salt in this time period was very valuable. The Roman soldier was paid his daily wages in Salt, hence the expression “worth you salt.” Salt is used as a flavor enhancer. Salt is necessary for the body to function properly. Salt was used to clean out wounds, and Salt was used to preserve foods by slowing their decay process. I find it interesting that salt preserves food and enhances the flavor much in the same way, it draws out the moisture from the food. It leaves the food with a purer taste. I remember the first time I prepared eggplant for myself. When you prepare eggplant you generally slice it, salt it, and allow it to sit and drain for a while having done nothing more than slicing and draining it. Well I am a curious person so I sliced it, salted most of it and tried a piece of unsalted eggplant. It is so bitter I had to spit it out. After allowing the rest of the eggplant to sit having been salted you could see all the bitterness and moisture that was drawn out of the eggplant. It is in this way we are the salt of the earth. We are to draw out the bitterness of the world, to hold back its decay.
How do we do that, by living the beatitudes, by being filled with the spirit, by being salty. Salt is inherently different from the things it is applied to, meat, vegetables, you name it the salt is different, and we should be different from the world. There is an implication in being called the only salt of the earth, and that is the earth is devoid of flavor, and decaying. We are to be different. When we converse with people, our conversation should be different from the worlds. When we joke with people our jokes should be different. Our thoughts should be different. Our desires should be different. The difference in us should cause the world around us to be different. It was said of Jonathan Edwards that all he had to do was walk into a room and people would come under the conviction of the Holy Spirit. When you enter a room does people’s language get cleaner. A friend of mine was known for having a “sailors” mouth, but whenever he was around Sara or I his language all of a sudden became a whole lot cleaner, not because we ever said anything to him, but because he knew there was something different about us and that his speech was not acceptable. You alone are the salt of the earth.
Christ does not linger too long on the function of being the salt of the earth though. He concentrates in this section a bit more on warning us not to lose our flavor. But if the salt loses its flavor how shall it be seasoned? The implication is that it cannot be seasoned. I must point out that the salt does not cease to be salt. Christ is not talking about losing your salvation, but He is talking about losing your flavor or your characteristics, that effectiveness to preform your function.
I think we should quickly look back at the beatitudes so we can see what the flavor of salt is. Blessed are the poor in Spirit, that quality that says I am completely dependent upon the grace of God and lean fully upon His Spirit. Blessed are those who mourn, this is to say those who are grieved by sin both their own and that of the world. Blessed are the meek, this is the individual who takes no thought of themselves but focuses on the things Kingdom of God. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for Righteousness. Blessed are the merciful. Blessed are the pure in heart. Blessed are the peacemakers. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness. This is what it is to be salty, to live the beatitudes. Paul describes these characteristics slightly differently in Galatians 5:22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. . .” And Christ warns us not to lose our flavor?
So how do we lose it? We lose it when we allow our relationship with God to slip. We cannot live the beatitudes or the fruit of the Spirit without Him. When we neglect our relationship with Him we are less salty. It is sad to see so many Christians when they first get saved are on fire for God. As they “grow” in their relationship that raging fire seems to fade to a small simmer. We can keep that fire burning bright. We don’t have to lose our flavor. One of the things Sara and I were tasked to do in our premarital sessions was to find a new way every day to say I love you, we did that for almost a year. Now that we are married it seems more important to find different ways of telling Sara I love her. Our relationship with God is not that much different. If we will let Him he is constantly telling us that He loves us, and how much He loves us. We can do the same for Him.
But if the salt should lose its flavor how then shall it be seasoned. It is then good for nothing but to be trampled underfoot. When we lose our saltiness we become ineffectual witnesses. We no longer affect the world. We no longer flavor it. We no longer hold back its decay. No we are thrown on to the grown. You know what happens when you salt the earth? It becomes barren, nothing can grow there anymore. When we lose our flavor, we can become spiritually dangerous to those around us. I do not know how many times I have heard things like “I have no problem with Jesus, it’s the people that follow Him I can’t stand.” “I would probably believe in Christ, if it weren’t for the Christians.” When we lose our flavor we are not only ineffective, but we become a stumbling block, and create a barren land.
You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt loses its flavor how shall it be seasoned. It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. So don't lose your flavor.
